Custom Shelf Bin Dividers for Picking and Stock Rooms

Measuring Inside the Bin

Always measure the inside of the bin, not the outside, and measure at the base as well as the top. Many plastic picking bins taper slightly, so a divider cut to the top dimension will rattle about at the bottom and lean over. We can cut a tapered divider that follows the slope of the walls if you send both measurements.

Tell us the height you want the divider to stand, too. A panel that reaches the full height of the bin keeps tall stock upright but hides the contents from above. A lower panel lets pickers see into each lane while still stopping small items wandering across. For cardboard shelf bins made of card themselves, the dividers can be designed to lock into slots in the bin walls so they never shift.

Small differences matter here. A divider two millimetres too long bows in the middle; one two millimetres too short slides sideways.

Board Grades for Light and Heavy Stock

For light items such as cosmetics, sachets, cards or clothing accessories, a solid white or grey chipboard is enough. It is thin, takes print well and does not eat into lane width. For heavier stock such as hardware, bottles or boxed electronics, a single wall corrugated board gives more stiffness and resists bowing when lanes are packed tight.

Double wall corrugated suits deep bulk bins that hold heavier loose parts, though it takes up more width. If the bins sit in a cold store or damp area, ask about a moisture-resistant coated board instead.

If you are not sure which grade you need, send us a note of the heaviest item that will sit against each divider and how tightly lanes are packed. We will recommend the thinnest board that will stay straight under that load, which keeps lanes as wide as possible.

Printing Codes, Labels and Colour Coding

Printing straight onto the divider saves sticking labels on later and keeps the location reference fixed to the lane. We can print location codes, SKU references, barcodes or product names on the front edge or on a raised tab, and the print and finish options compared page shows which print holds up to handling. Variable print lets each divider carry a different code within one order, so a whole aisle can be delivered ready labelled.

Colour coding is another option many stock rooms use. One colour per product family, or per pick zone, helps new staff learn the layout quickly. Barcodes need a clean white background and enough quiet space around them to scan reliably, so tell us the scanner type and we will size the code on the proof. Retail stock rooms sometimes add a small logo, but most warehouse clients keep the design purely functional.

Front-edge print should sit high enough to stay visible when the lane is full. On a low divider, a fold-over tab that leans slightly towards the picker keeps the code readable even when stock is piled up to the top edge.

Rolling Out Dividers Across a Warehouse

Start with one aisle or one bay as a trial. Fit the dividers, watch how pickers use them for a week and adjust the lane widths before ordering the rest, as you would with corrugated box dividers in a packing station. It is common to find that some products need a wider lane than you guessed, or that a lower divider height works better for visibility.

Once you know what works, send us a list of bin sizes and how many dividers each needs. We can pack them by aisle or by bin type so the team fitting them does not have to sort a pallet of loose panels. Different shapes and sizes can usually run in a single production batch, which keeps the job simple even when your shelving is a mix of old and new bins.

Measure the Bin at the Top and the Bottom, Because Most Bins Taper

Shelf bin dividers fail when the bin is measured once. Most plastic picking bins are narrower at the base than at the rim, so measure the inside length and width at both, and the depth, and send all three figures; a divider cut to the rim will lean in a tapered bin, while one cut to the base rattles. Count the lanes you want per bin and weigh a full lane, because heavy hardware wants corrugated board where light sachets suit chipboard. If codes are printed on the dividers, send a spreadsheet of them and say whether they go on the front edge or a raised tab.

Send the inside dimensions, the number of lanes, the board you prefer and any print details, and a custom quote comes back within one working day with a free design proof showing the flat cutting shape, the slot positions and the print layout. Production takes 4 to 7 working days after approval and free tracked delivery reaches UK mainland addresses in 2 to 3 working days, with minimums low and quoted per job. Warehouses that replace the bins as well usually add printed cardboard shelf bins with lock-in slots.